Cross-sectional primary care record studies show that 0.9% of the adult population receive regular oral corticosteroids (OCS). Prescriptions have increased steadily over the past 20 years, presumably reflecting an increasingly elderly and infirm population.1 Respiratory conditions (mainly airway diseases) are responsible for 25–40% of these OCS prescriptions,1 2 by some way the largest proportion of any specialty. Against this background, it is surprising and disappointing that little is known about morbidity due to OCS usage in patients with airway disease and we remain in the unsatisfactory position of having to extrapolate from studies carried out in non-respiratory conditions. Better information in an airway disease population is important as we are approaching the biological treatment era and have within our sights treatments that offer a realistic potential to be alternatives to OCS and to allow patients already taking them to withdraw therapy safely.3–9

Posted: 2016-03-14 09:30:31